GETTING STARTED

If you’re starting from scratch in the garden, or you’ve just moved in, here are some hints and tips while you start enjoying your outdoor space:

1. Patience. Give yourself some time to see how you use your garden, notice what areas you are drawn to spending time in and this will guide you in how to develop the garden. I usually recommend people give themselves a year with a new garden before making big decisions on patios and garden buildings.
   
2. Plants. Try not to get too carried away with instant colour, do a bit of research into the sorts of plants that will suit your soil, conditions and aspect. Plants with bright flowers may look lovely in the but may not do well in a damp shady corner – however with a little research you’ll find there are some fantastic plants that will thrive. Our Plant and Pour Perennials give some direction on where to plant, and this can help you to choose the right plants for the right place. 
   
3. Mulch. Mulching in the garden is a great idea. It helps to stifle weeds, retain moisture in the soil and can improve the soil condition too. There are many options from bark chippings, stone and gravel, to organic matter like green or mushroom compost. Consider what you plan to do with the beds before you choose your mulch – sometimes when using stone and gravel you may want to use a weed membrane, but this will limit your access to the soil below for further planting or improving the soil.
   
4. Watering. Buy a good quality hosepipe and sprinkler to help your plants and lawn establish and thrive. There are a number of types of sprinkler on the market and type will be dictated by the size of your garden – all good quality sprinklers will provide information on coverage areas. You may also want to look at installing water butts to catch any run-off from roofs and sheds – all the more important now we are in the throws of a second consecutive dry spring. 
   
5. Enjoy. Gardens are about how they make you feel. Whether it’s for the kids to kick a football, growing your own fruit and veg, or somewhere to immerse yourself and relax, we all enjoy our outdoor space in different ways. There are no wrongs or rights in gardening, it’s all about giving it a go and learning from our mistakes.